Missing teen found in Henrico prostitution ring bust

Missing teen found in Henrico prostitution ring bust

HENRICO, Va. (WTVR) – A terrifying case for a Florida family came to an end in Central Virginia, with the bust of a prostitution ring.

A middle school student, who vanished without a trace in Miami three months ago, was found Wednesday in the West End.

Miami police said the 13-year-old girl ran away from a drug treatment center in Miami on February 24. They said she was an excellent middle school student, but had a drug addiction.

Soon after her disappearance, police in Miami passed out flyers close to where she disappeared, but to no avail. She was listed in the National Crime Information Center. Few tips came in, the ones that did – never checked out, according to Detective Jose Rojas with the City of Miami Police Departments Special Victims Unit.

“It’s been crazy. I can’t go to sleep I can’t even do nothing and I can’t even function right now,” said her father Alejandro shortly after his daughter disappeared.

But on Wednesday police found the girl, almost 1,000 miles away in a hotel room in Henrico’s West End.

Investigators said she was caught in a prostitution ring. Police said there were several other people in the room with her. While police said the girl was found unharmed, the FBI and Henrico police won’t say yet how she ended up so far away from home.

Detective Rojas said her family is just happy to know she’s okay.

Miami investigators said the girl is being held in a juvenile detention center in Henrico.

Henrico police, Lt. Linda Toney said the investigation is ongoing. Police have not yet released information about any arrests in connection with this case.